Grain cleaner and loader



' Feb. 2, 1932. 5 El RASMUSSEN 1,843,404

GRAIN CLEANER AND LOADER Filed April l1, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l lhlzli.

/m/en or. .Sigurd asmussen.

Feb. 2, 1932. s; E. RAsMUssEN 1,843,404

GRAIN CLEANER AND LOADER I Filed April l1, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 2, 1932.l l s. E. RAsMUssl-:N 1,843,404

GRAIN CLEANER AND LOADER` Filed Aprilvll, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 www.

Feb. 2, 1932. s. E, RASMUSSEN 1,843,404

GRAIN CLEANER AND LOADER Filed April 1l. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /m/en for.

By Zij, f#gaw Patented Feb. 2, 1932 j i i UWE STATS retratar 'ries siGARn E. aAsivrUssEN, lor* STANDARD, ALBERTA, CANADA `cinAnv GLEANERAND LOAD-ER i Application led April 11, 19129. -Serial No. 354,318.

'F he invention relates to improvements in Fig. 1 isa. front elevation of the apparatus grain cleanersand loaders and more paras a whole. Y v tlcularl'y to a gralnoleaner and loader ofthe vF 1g. 2 1s a top plan view.

class employed with Waggons. Fig. Sis a sid-e elevation. i

5 A further object of the invention is to pro Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the 55 vide improved apparatus for loading, cleanpowder treating attachment. ing and conveying grain of a portable char- Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 1. acter, which can be readily applied to wag- Fig. 6 is a cross sectional detail through gons and in which the different mechanisms the screen, and indicating an outside closure 1U can be operated selectively and collectively. member therefor. e@

Yet another object of the invention is to Fig. is a section on line 7-7 Fig. 2. provide a portable apparatus especially Fig. 8 is a sectional detail through the adapted for receiving material, cleaning and screen showing the cleaning brush. elevating it for diversion into a bin or other Fig. 9 is a sectional detail taken on the line 15 place of accumulation, and is particularly de- 9 9, showing the iiexible joint. signed for handling farm products and the Fig. 10is a detail of the screen body showlike. Y ing the longitudinal ribs supporting the Another object of my invention is to prowires. vide a simply constructed loading and clean- Fig. 11 is a diagrammatical detail of a ing apparatus which can be adapted to grainv modified form indicating liquid treating 7o Waggons, or the like, in such manner that means for the grain. power is provided on the waggon or remote Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the wagon hoptherefrom and can be readily applied for per provided with adjustable supporting operating same. The apparatus being so legs.

'f'- adapted to the waggon that extension parts Referring now more particularly to the z5 be fitted thereto for loading grain, or the drawings in which an example of mycimlike, fromjvarying distances and elevations. proved apparatus is disclosed. A designates Furthermore, the invention relates to ima frame of any suitable construction prop provements in portable corn and grain loadvided with front wheels 10 andl11 and rear lu ers and cleaners adapted to be conveniently Vwheels 12 and 13. Associated with the front 30 moved. from place to place to facilitate the cross bar 15 of the frame is hitching means loading or unloading of grain, or the like, and 16 of any well known construction, although of light and durable construction that can be it must be understood that the frame A can built and placed on the market at a reasonbe motor driven, or otherwise vmoved from able price. place to place, if so desired. As here shown g5 l/Vith the foregoing, and other objects herea grainbl'n B is disclosed adjacent the apinafter more fully referred to, the novel feaparatus and is hereinafter more fully retures of the invention consists in the combinaferred to. tion with an elevator of aflexiblyjointed conl Mounted on the frame A is a casing or l veyor or drag adapted to receive and convey hopper 17 within which is a shaft 18 supso grain, or the like, and means intermediate of portedin suitable bearings as at 19, while the elevator and the drag or conveyor selecassociated with the hopper 17 is a second ca stively or collectively operabletherewith for ing 2O adapted tohouse an auger 20a.y Y This cleaning and treating the grain in transit auger cas1ng-20 is formed in sections con- 'i' therethrough. The apparatus as a whole benected as illustrated in Fig. 9 by flexible or e5 ing portably mounted on a wheel -supported universal joints 22, and provided at each frame. joint with suitable pad elements to pre- Referring now to the drawings in` which vent leakage of the grain, or the like, being like characters of reference indicate correconverted therethrough by the augerv or fr Y l spending parts 1n each figure, v conveyor 20a.

'LUG

At the outer end of the casing member is an open sided funnel 24 of substantially cone shape, and adapted to be inserted in an accumulation of grain here shown as being i7 contained in a bin B, so that on the auger being operated the grain will be automatically conveyed from the bin; lf required, the head 24 of the conveyor' can be closed by means of shutters 25 pivotally mount d "f thereon as at 25a see Fig. 7, without interfering with the operation of the auger 20e, will prevent any gram from being taken up through the funnel 24. ln this way a hopper adjacent the outer end of the chute or casing 2() communicating therewith may be in turn is connected to the shaft 18 by means of a sprocket wheel 33, chain 34 and sprocket on the shaft 18. rfhis shaft communicates with the auger or conveyor 20a. lt should here be noted that the joints for the casings 17 and 26 housing the universal joints for the auger shaft 18 are of the bayonet type and being of male and female design are easily drawn apart.

It will be seen from the foregoing that on the engine C being operated the countershaft 27 will be rotated operating the shaft 18 and the auger 20a to convey grain from the bin B or the hopper 26. lt will also be seen that the shaft 18 operating the auger is, through universal joints extensible to any required length, and that the casing 20, through the specially formed iiexible joints, co-operating with the universal joints is also extensible.

(lo-operating with the auger member 20a to deliver grain or the like thereto, is a rotatably mounted screen 36 in the center of which is an auger 37 driven by a shaft 38, connected through a sprocket 39 and chain 40 with a sprocket 41 on the countershaft 27. This auger 37, as will be more fully explained, performs the function of a conveyor, while the screen acts as a convertible casing, both travelling in the same direction, but at different rates of speed made possible by the difference in the diameter of the pulleys or sprockets on the countershaft, which drive the screen and the auger respectively. The screen is driven from the counter-shaft 27 through a sprocket or wide wheel 42, connected by a belt or chain 48 with a pulley 44, on the countershaft. Cooperating with the screen I provide an elevator whereby the cleaned grain from the screen is elevated and disposed in any required type, and is driven from the countershaft 27 through pul- Lee-3,404

ley 46, belt 47 and pulley 48. A secondary countershaft 48a is connected through sprocket 49, chain 50 to sprocket 51 on the elevator, whereby the latter is driven from the top. rl`he grain being delivered from the screen 36 to the elevator. A chaff or waste pipe 54 is provided with a suction fan or auger operable at the outer end, and driven by means of shaft 48a on the elevator which is provided with a sprocket wheel 56, the chain 57 and sprocket wheel 58being connected to a fan or other suitable elevating means.

The pipe 54 communicates at its lower end with the chatl member or trough 59 at its up- Vper end with a flexible and extensible discharge spout 60. yEhis pipe can also be used as an auxiliary elevator, but is generally adapted for discharging chaff or dirt delivered thereto from the screen 36 and auger 87. The trough or chaff member 59 is preferably formed with a slant, see Fig. 1, and is also provided with an auger 61 connected through a sprocket 64 and chain65 to the shaft 38, whereby on the screen being operated, the trough auger 61 is also operated.

(lo-operating with the screen 36 is a rotatably mounted brush 66 suitably mounted in bracket bearings, parallel to and in contact with the screen 36 which when revolved causes the brush to revolve also, through friction, and the fact that the bristles enter between the wire 67, see Fig. 10 of the screen and push away any grain, or the like, which may have accumulated therebetween. As illustrated in F ig. 5, I provide the screen with a hinged cover 68 which may be made in suitable sections, and is securely fitted thereto, by means of bolts 69 or the like, so that when the screen is not used for cleaning grain, it can be utilized as a chute for conveying the grain from the intake 17 to the elevator 45. rlhe screen terminates at the end remote from the elevator 45 in the hopper 17, which is called the main hopper, into which the auger 20a in the extension truck loader 20 dis-4 charges when in use, and which,of course, under certain conditions may be entirely disensed with, permitting the grain-or material to be delivered directly to the main hopper 17, and thence to the screen 36, and finally to the elevator 45.

ln connection with this main hopper 17 and as illustrated in Fig. 4, a powder treating attachment for treating the grain may be used and also as illuustrated in Fig. 11, a liquid treating attachment or these attachments may be dispensed with, and the main hopper fed by shovel, or otherwise, if so desired.

For operating the powder attachment as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 is a hopper shaped casing 71 expanded to lit on the main hopper 17, and in which is a vertical auger shaft V72 formed at its lower end with disintegratine branches 7 3 and provided at its upper enc with a gear wheel 74, the whole being mounted in suitable bearings in the top of the casing 71. Meshing with the gear 74 is a gear 7 5 on a shaft 76 provided with a gear 77, connected by a chain 78 with a gear 79 on the J countershaft 27, a slide 80 operable from without the hopper' casing 71 is also provided in the neck 81 to regulate the flow of powder into the main hopper containing the grain.

For treating the grain in the main powder with liquid, I provide as illustrated in F ig. l1 a rectangular pipe 82 to lit into the top of the hopper and provided all around with a plurality of jet openings 83. The pipe is connected through a main stem 84, to a pump 85, in turn connected to a reservoir 86 by a pipe 87 whereby liquid for treating the grain is supplied under pressure to jet openings 83, a control valve 86a isprovided in the pipe 84 to regulate the supply of liquid to be sprayed.

A feature of the invention resides in the fact that the several mechanisms associated with, and forming the apparatus as a whole, may be operated separately or collectively. To do this, I provide in connection with a countershaft 27, two clutch members 87 and 88, whereby on clutch 87 being operated, the screen 36 is thrown out of gear and ceases to rotate, while the auger 37 will continue to rotate and on the cover being applied to the screen, the latter will become a conveyor for grain or the like to the elevator' 45 which also continues to operate, as well as the trough auger 61. At the same time, the auger a also will be placed out of gear permitting the grain or the like to be supplied to the main hopper 17 in any suitable manner. Again on the clutch 88 being operated, the elevator 45 and the screen auger 37 will be thrown out of gear and the trough auger 61 will be thrown out of gear, and the screen with the auger 20a and powder or fluid treating mechanism left in gear.

lVit-h reference to the different rates of speed at which the auger 37 and the screen 36 are rotated, which as previously mentioned,

is due to variation in the diameter of the members 42 and 44 and the members 39 and 41, the former being considerably larger than the latter, so that in operation the screen will rotate at a lower rate of speed than the auger 37 within it.

From the foregoing the complete operation of the apparatus will be readily understood and is as follows:

Assuming that the bin B containing grain to be conveyed, cleaned and diverted to another point, the drag comprising tie flexibly jointed and extensible casing 2O and universal jointed auger 20a therein is inserted within the bin, the other end being connected to the main hopper 17 within which is the auger extending through the screen The engine C is then started and the countershaft 27 rotated, causing through the connections 42, 43 and 44, the screen 36 to rotate and through the connections 39,40 and 4l, the auger therein to rotate in the same direction but at diilerent speed. At the same time, the auger 20av having been connected to the eountershaft 27 by a universal joint is rotated to convey the grain from the bin B to the main hopper and from thence by the auger 37 to the screen where it is cleaned and the screen automatically kept clean by contact with the brush 66. From the screen, the cleaned grain passes to the elevator 45 simultaneously operable through members 46, 47 and 48 by the countershaft 27, and from the elevator itis distributed to any desired point, unto Waggons, trucks or into ships. During the foregoing operation, the chaff and foreign matter eliminated by the screen, drops into the trough or receptacle 59 which is provided with an auger 61, driven from the shaft for disposing the waste pipe or auxiliary elevator 54 is provided and may be furnished with a Suction, orV other suitable means for withdrawing the waste material and disclosing it. To treat the grain with powder or fluid as it passes through the hopper 17, is readily accomplished by detachable mechanism driven froin the countershaft 27 and already fully described. It will thus be seen that no phase or step for the satisfactory conveying, l treating, cleaning, elevating and disposing-of grain with what amounts to a moltum in parvo apparatus is overlooked. Furthermore, and another feature of the invention is that the drag portion of the conveyor system is detachable, as well as flexible, and extensible and that the treating means are also detachable, as well as the elevator, but the trough, the clutches 87 and 88, the different mechanisms may be separately or collectively operated. The different elements being detachable enables them to be readily and conveniently assembled for transport where not in use, and the fact that the whole outfit as in the example shown can be readily mounted and operated on a truck, is another novel and important feature.

While a specific embodiment Yof this invention is herein shown and described, it should be clearly `understood that the detailed parts in the preferred forms, and also that the preferred forms may be varied from time to time, depending upon the circumstances and conditions governing', andV governed by, the development of this invention and the arts to which it is incident, so the interested inquirer is directed to interpret the scope of this invention from the claims, in which its spirit is broadly generalized.

What I claim for my invention is:

r1. In a grain cleaner and loader of the character described, a transportable frame, a hopper on the frame, a drive shaft suitably mounted on the frame, a counter operating with the drive shaft, a

rotatably mounted convertible screen and a conveyor shaft coco-operating With the screen and With the hopper, means of variable proportions operatively connecting the counter shaft with the screen and the conveyor respectively whereby 5 variable speeds of rotation are simultaneously imparted to the screen relatively, prime mover mechanism for drivingl the counter shaft and means operable hy the rotation of the screen for automatically cleaning the l@ screen and means associated with the hopper for treating the grain before being screened, an elevator co-operating with the screen and means also associated with the screen for receiving and disposing,` of the chaff and Waste 3 5 from the screen, clutch means associated with the counter shaft for selectively and collectively operating` the aforesaid means.

2. The invention according to claim l, in which a clutch is associated with the counter eo shaft for operating the elevator and rotating the conveyor Within the screen While permitting;` the screen to remain rigid.

3. The invention according` to claim l, in which the chaff-collecting,` and distributing means comprise a trough provided With a conveyor' and a discharge chute and mechanism of variable proportions operatively connecting the aforesaid means with the counter shaft. 50 In Witness whereof I hereunto set my hand.

SIGARD E. RASMUSSEN. 

